Anybody here remember that before the ma bell breakup in 1982, you actully got timely service and a live operater. don't you just love the FCC and all their bright ideas. I really think I would have been happier born between 1880-1890..... oh well

Yes, it was better than the Internet!
You could locate almost everyone in seconds. You got their names, addresses and phone numbers -- without paying for each search -- and it wasn't -old- information!!! ;}

Yes, it was better than the Internet!
You could locate almost everyone in seconds. You got their names, addresses and phone numbers -- without paying for each search -- and it wasn't -old- information!!! ;}

Of course, they had to be in your town, or you had to have the book for their town. (Okay, there were also regional books, but my point still applies.)

____________DavidSitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

Yes, it was better than the Internet!
You could locate almost everyone in seconds. You got their names, addresses and phone numbers -- without paying for each search -- and it wasn't -old- information!!! ;}

Of course, they had to be in your town, or you had to have the book for their town. (Okay, there were also regional books, but my point still applies.)

Oh you rural people. Even when I was a wee lad my county had 5 books to cover it. Today, forget it.

Well, just to set the record straight, I lived in a city of just under 400,000 people at that time. One 3-inch (7.5 cm) thick book had all the residences and businesses for our city, the twin city of 25,000 people across the river, and the surrounding communities that also had a combined population of at least 25,000. So one book did give you a lot of coverage, and that coverage was nearly 100%...and free.

Oh, and if you needed information on someone outside that area, -anywhere- in the United States, you could dial one 800 number. I think it was 800-555-1212, but don't quote me. The extremely polite and friendly operator that answered would gladly bend over backward to locate the person you were looking for, also for free!

I am an "old" phone tech, here in the UK we only had 2 subscriber party lines. They were "rung" to earth. Subscriber 1 was rung over the "A" leg to earth and subscriber 2 over the "B" leg to earth so phones had to be wired differently. Also the subscribers would call the exchange but pressing a button on the phone which earthed their respective wires.

Hi Bernie, as an old BT Telecoms man I still remember the original "Party lines" and later the Subscribers 1+1 Carrier system known as WB900. Later there was a system called DACS (Digital Access Carrier System) based on ISDN technology.